https://serenity-cc.tumblr.com/post/162207177188/shadow-baking-map-tutorial

*I made a tutorial to help my friend @enriques4​ and wondered: why not share if others? I never make tutorials blaabala… so here I go!*

*If you don´t know what the shadow map is, IS THE SHADOW THAT CLOTHING / ACC ETC make in the sim. I don´t have images to show the difference so sorry hope you know what I´m talking.*

*If you think that shadow map doesn´t make difference yes it does, increases the item quality 10000% much more professional, believe me.*

![](<https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/c531ec15-e766-4b8c-b940-f71d0087ca09/tumblr_inline_os2csw2JPr1tmcfx7_1280.png>)

First make sure you have the ´nude top´ under your new mesh, that´s the mesh we will bake.

![](<https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/9cab8324-da91-4a9a-8b32-96589ebbd7e3/tumblr_inline_os2ct7L6uc1tmcfx7_1280.png>)

Select the nudetop mesh, and create a new image for your shadows.

![](<https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/87e3c5bd-089b-4dcc-8207-62be9b11d1c6/tumblr_inline_os2ctdkTDk1tmcfx7_1280.png>)

***TIP / OPTIONAL:** You can add ´subdivision surface´ to the nudetop mesh, so when the baking gets smoother. It actually doesn´t make tooo much difference, but I thought it would be cool to include this here.*

![](<https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/4f7705e8-cb59-455b-9465-34d53f6884c6/tumblr_inline_os2ctroCUe1tmcfx7_1280.png>)

**If you want to follow the tip:** *values between 2/4 are enough to get a smooth mesh.* **DON´T APPLY THIS MODIFIER!**

![](<https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/906d1015-0bf9-459f-9643-845a747468ad/tumblr_inline_os2cueEWlL1tmcfx7_1280.png>)

1. Go to the ´World´ tab and set the ´Environment Lightning´ value to ´2.5. This will make only the top´s shadow appear.

![](<https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/bd9935f0-8dd8-4b9d-83c3-3ee1057ad0c3/tumblr_inline_os2cv3hsPR1tmcfx7_1280.png>)

## **VERY IMPORTANT!**

1. Open the rig and make sure all the camera icons are deselected, this option will not let the rig be baked too.

2. Otherwise your bake will appear weird like that.

![](<https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/2cd6998d-9dc1-49a4-9493-a4651b45eaef/tumblr_inline_os2cvhdQlL1tmcfx7_1280.png>)

1. Go the the camera tab.

2. Make sure you set to the ´Ambient Oclusion´ mode.

3. Set the margin to 0.

![](<https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/593278e5-0a9f-4f6e-9fe9-d8dcdfd532f9/tumblr_inline_os2cvu8ptD1tmcfx7_1280.png>)

Now you´re ready to bake :) *-*

In the uv window, go to Image>Save Image As.. and save your shadow image as .png

____________________________________________________________

![](<https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/75ab94e1-b5ac-4481-86e9-a6d440062db1/tumblr_inline_os2cxp6AdN1tmcfx7_1280.png>)

Open your image in your editing program.

![](<https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/da917358-83fc-4f5a-ad85-ca92f28d51fe/tumblr_inline_os2cy0oRZh1tmcfx7_1280.png>)

1. Create a new layer

2.3 Paint it white

![](<https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/34f3e591-193c-48c4-b551-af52a6735f93/tumblr_inline_os2cykOZIQ1tmcfx7_1280.png>)

1.2 Select the parts that aren´t the top shadow, and press delete.

![](<https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/c9327f79-4bce-4c7e-9475-fee7abbc6228/tumblr_inline_os2cz13EBD1tmcfx7_1280.png>)

You can add some a little gaussian blur to smooth more the shadows, if you want.

Set the shadow´s layer opacity to 40%. The highest the opacity, more darker the shadow will be. I use 40% for my shadows.

![](<https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/e69bbe04-4a77-46dd-a7c8-5a5e1b0d0761/tumblr_inline_os2cziEXRv1tmcfx7_1280.png>)

Save your image as a .png/DDS

I use .dds.

After all this, just import it to sims4studio and be happy yyyyaaaaaaaaaaaayy!

**NOTE: If you want your cc to be HQ the shadow size needs to be 2048x4096.**

**hope this helps someone…**